Mail-bag catcher



Nm 753,288. A PATENTED MAR. l, 1904.

W. D. MGGLELLAN.

' MAIL BAG CATCHER.-

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 18. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 1, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MAIL-BAG GATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming peut f Letters Patent N0- 753,288, dated Marchi, 1904.

Application led November 18, 1903. Serial No. 181,721. {No model.)`

To @ZZ whom t naar; concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DUNCAN Mc- CLELLAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at McHenry, in the county of Harrison and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Mail-Bag Catcher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mail-bag catchers, and more particularly to an attachment for retaining the bag on the receiving-arm after the same has been delivered from the crane.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eiicient device of this character capable of being quickly attached to the supporting-bar of any of the well-known forms of catchers now in use and which will effectively retain the mail-bag in position on the receiving-arm until purposely removed. l

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated,A

in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, and. minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In the accompanying, drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a car, showing my improved attachmentin position on the catcher-arm. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the attachment removed. p

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in both gures of the drawings.

5 designates a portion of a car, and 6 the doorway through which the Inail is delivered and at which the mail is received. Journaled in'suitable bearing-brackets 7 secured to the door-jambe, is a supporting rod or shaft 8, to which is secured the usual head 9, provided with a catcher-arm and operatingehandle 10'. Mounted on the rod or shaft 8 at a point adjacent the head 9 is a bracket 11, the base of which is provided with a foot 12, having a longitudinally-disposed groove or channel 13 formed'therein for the reception of the rod'8,

said bracket being clamped in position on the rod in any suitable manner, as by clips 14. The bracket 11 is provided with a rearwardlycurved arm 15, the end of which is inclined or beveled, as shown at 16, and provided with a groove or channel 17 adapted to receive the inclined edge 18 of the head. 9.

Pivoted between a pair of outwardlyprojecting ears or lugs 19, preferably formed in'- tegral with the bracket 11, is a pawl or locking-trigger 20, one end of which is curved, as shown at 21, and normally closes the passage formed by the catcher-arm 10 and the curved arm of the bracket, the opposite end of the trigger being provided with a suitable handle 22, as shown. A preferably coiled spring 23, one end of which is secured to the trigger at a point adjacent the handle 22, the opposite end thereof being fastened in any suitable manner to the bracket, serves to tilt the curvedend of the trigger at the proper angle or inclination. As a means for Alimiting the downward movement of the trigger-bar and to relieve the pivotal point of eX- cessive strain incident to the delivery of a mail-bag I form the trigger 2O with a notch or recess 24, which engages an angular extension in the bracket 11 and holds .the trigger in operative relation to the catcher-arm.

In operation the head carrying the catcherarm is tilted outwardly, with the receiving end thereof facing thefront of the train, and as the train passes the mail-crane (not shown) Ythe arm 10 catches the mail-bag, which is forced rearwardly past the trigger into the passage formed by the arms 10 and 15. By having the trigger formed with the notch or recess engaging the angular extension on the bracket the inward thrust on the trigger, due to the impact of the mail-bag, is prevented from injuring the pivot-pin, while said trigger is always held at the proper angle or inclination with respect to the catching-arm.

From'the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple and inexpensive attachment capable of being quickly attached to or detached from the supporting rod or shaft and by'ineans of which the mail-bag is effectively retained in position on the catcher-arm.

IDO

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed isl. The combination witha catcher-arm and its supporting-rod, of a detachable bracket rigidly secured to the supporting-rod, and a spring-actuated locking-trigger carried by the bracket and cooperating with the catcher-arm.

2. The combination with a catcher-arm and its supporting-rod, of a bracket detachably secured to the supporting-rod, and forming a passage between the catcher-arm and said bracket and a spring-actuated locking-trigger pivoted to the bracket and normally closing the entrance to said passage.

3. The combination with a catcher-arm and its supporting-rod, of a bracket detachably secured to the supporting-rod, and forming a passage between the catcherarm and said bracket,a spring-actuated locking-trigger pivoted to the bracket and normally closing the entrance to said passage, and means for limiting the downward movement of the lockingtrigger.

4L. rlhe combination with a catcher-arm and its supporting-rod, of a bracket detachably secured to the supporting-rod, ears or lugs formed on the bracket, a locking-trigger pivoted between said ears or lugs, and a spring,

' one end of which is secured to the bracket,

the opposite end thereof being fastened to the locking-trigger. n

5. The combination with a catcher-arm and its supporting-rod, of a bracket provided with an angular extension detachably secured to the supporting-rod, a locking-trigger pivoted to the bracket, and means for yieldably holding the locking-trigger in engagement with the angular extension.

6. The combination with a catcher-arm and its supporting-rod, of,a bracket provided with an angular extension detachably secured to the supporting-rod, a locking-trigger pivoted to the bracket, there being a notch or recess formed in kone end of said trigger adapted to engage the angular extension of the bracket.

7 The combination with a catcher and its supporting-rod, of a bracket having one end thereof provided with a grooved foot adapted to engage the supporting-rod, the oppositel end thereof being inclined or beveled and provided with a groove or channel for the reception of the head of the catcher-arm, ears or lugs formed integral with the bracket, a locking-trigger pivoted between the ears or lugs, and a spring, one end of which is secured to the bracket, the opposite end thereof being fastened to the locking-trigger.

In testimony that' I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- WILLIAM DUNCAN MCCLELLAN.

Witnesses:

J As. F. BENNETT, W. L. HIGHTOWER.. 

